


Have You Read This?

by Jen425



Series: Another side of the story - the fic [3]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alexander is an asshole too but not in this fic, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Burr is less of an asshole, Cheating, Eliza not being perfect, F/F, F/M, Like Eliza would never do this, OOC, Poor Alexander, Somehow due to Tumblr drawings & late night inspiration, jefferson is an asshole, my first two Hamilton stories are role reversal AUs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-01 22:27:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14530581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jen425/pseuds/Jen425
Summary: [Jefferson/Madison/Burr]Alexander Hamilton's wife, had a torrid affair?! and she wrote it down, right there![MADISON:]HIGHLIGHTS!~”the reynolds pamphlet // eliza” by thedevil_andgod





	Have You Read This?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [the reynolds pamphlet // eliza](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10129007) by [thedevil_andgod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedevil_andgod/pseuds/thedevil_andgod). 
  * Inspired by [say no to this // eliza](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9983975) by [thedevil_andgod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedevil_andgod/pseuds/thedevil_andgod). 
  * Inspired by [burn // alexander](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10141376) by [thedevil_andgod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedevil_andgod/pseuds/thedevil_andgod). 



> I don’t even know what this is. This fic is inspired by all of the above, but only takes the marliza Say No To This as exactly what happened, mostly for my own sanity.
> 
> Enjoy

“Almost a thousand dollars paid in different amounts.”

 

“To a Mister James Reynolds back in 1791.”

 

...What?

 

“I’ve never involved myself with any James Reynolds,” Alexander said calmly. His enemies smirked, though he could see Burr softening. Of course. He’d never understand Burr’s ability to change for nothing but power.

 

It was why they could only barely call each other friends, anymore.

 

“You’re uniquely situated, by virtue of your position.”

 

“Though ‘virtue’ is not a word I’d apply to this situation.”

 

“To seek financial gain, to stray from your sacred mission.”

 

“And the evidence suggests you’ve engaged in speculation.”

 

Alexander just kind of… stared at them. Yes, he’d made many a mistake and many a sacrifice, but never for his own sake. Always for this country, for America.

 

“You think that _me_ , of all people, would ever do that?” he asked, aware of how angry he sounded, “Me?”

 

“Well, what’s _your_ story, then?” Jefferson asked.

 

“I… I don’t know,” he says, “But I’ll find out, just you wait!”

 

Jefferson smirked.

 

“I’m sure you will,” he said, “I hope it’s in time.”

 

And, with that, Jefferson and Madison left. Burr stayed behind.

 

“Alexander…”

 

“Burr.”

 

The senator sighed.

 

“I hope you find out the truth,” he said, “Truly.”

 

Alexander smiled, slightly.

 

“You know I will,” he said.

 

He had to.

  
  


He worked. He went through everything, and he tried to find what dirty laundry he’d forgotten.

 

“Alexander, what’s wrong?”

 

Alexander turned around at the sound of his wife’s voice. She sounded worried, but… he couldn’t stop, especially with a deadline for his very existence and meaning so unbelievably close.

 

He growled.

 

“Madison and Jefferson will tell the press and the papers that I’ve engaged in speculation unless I figure out how I misplaced nearly a thousand dollars back in 1791,” he said, “You know I keep track of every check we cash, but I have no idea where this money went except that it ended up in the pockets of some man named James Reynolds.”

 

Eliza looked as if she was barely holding back a gasp.

 

“Eliza? What are you thinking?” Alexander asked, wondering what part of his words had caused her reaction.

 

Eliza just sighed.

 

“Don’t worry, Alexander,” she said, “I’m sure the truth will come soon.”

 

Alexander shook his head.

 

“Let us hope.”

  
  


It’s a few weeks later that Jefferson barges into his room, laughing. The man knocks everything on his desk to the floor, and throws a small pamphlet down in replacement.

 

“You won’t be needing any of _that_ , anymore,” he said, “And, Hamilton, you’re _never_ gonna be president, now.”

 

As Jefferson left, he smirked, happily.

 

“Thank your wife for the help!” Jefferson calls. “Thanks to your wife, the South has won!” Which… what? What did his Betsey have to do with any of this?

 

He picks up the pamphlet…

  
  


> _The Reynolds Pamphlet_
> 
>  
> 
> _By Elizabeth Hamilton_
> 
>  
> 
> _The charges against my husband are a connection with one James Reynolds, for the purpose of improper speculation. His real crime is nothing but_ _my_ _amorous connection with his wife for a considerable time with only Reynolds’ knowledge and consent. I had frequent meetings with her, most of them in my own house. My children while away upstate on a visit to my father, and my husband while away at work. Enclosed are the most important of the letters I exchanged with the two, and more information about these events._
> 
>   
>    
> 

…What? His Eliza?

 

No…

 

Stupidly, he kept ready.

  
  


> _Dear Ma’am, I hope this letter finds you in good health, and in a prosperous enough position to put wealth in the pockets of people like me, riddled with strife. You see, that was my wife who you decided to fuck. That’s right, you picked the wrong sucker to mess with, so time to pay the piper for the girl you’ve been undressing, and, hey, you can keep seeing my whore wife, if the price is right, but, if not, I’m telling the man in your life._

  
  


Alexander wanted not to believe it… but he did. For some reason, he did.

 

Worse, he did because Eliza wrote the same way of both himself and Maria Reynolds.

 

Why hadn’t she told him? She’d allowed Laurens (and Burr, before that had fallen to disaster and political maneuvering), and he wouldn’t have even cared if she’d just _told_ him. At least before publishing this disaster. He could have written it so much better. Yes, it likely would have run twice as long, but at least the end of his story would be well written.

 

His destruction would have read so much better.

 

Jefferson was right. He was never gonna be president now.

  
  


There’s a box under their bed with every letter he’d ever written Eliza. She’d kept each and every one, knowing the passion he put into his writing. That night, he pulled the box out.

 

“Alexander?”

 

“Did you write it?” Alexander asks simply, “Well?”

 

Eliza sighed. It was answer enough. Alexander pulled her box out.

 

“You saved every letter I wrote you,” he said, “Did I not say enough that I was yours, and yours first?”

 

“Alexander…”

 

As usual, Alexander continued on, ignoring her words.

 

“Do you know what John said, every time he saw me write you?” he asked, “He said to be careful, that no person could ever be as perfect as I’d seen you… I ignored him, of course. I let my words flood your senses, _you_ got my words with none of my defenses, I tried to build you palaces with my paragraphs, I…”

 

He sighed. Opened the first one he found.

 

He was fairly sure that this was the moment his anger fully hit.

  
  


> _I have told you, and I told you truly that I love you too much. You engross my thoughts too intirely to allow me to think of any thing else—you not only employ my mind all day; but you intrude upon my sleep. I meet you in every dream—and when I wake I cannot close my eyes again for ruminating on your sweetness. ‘Tis a pretty story indeed that I am to be thus monopolized, by a little nut-brown maid like you—and from a statesman and a soldier metamorphosed into a puny lover. I believe in my soul you are an inchantress; but I have tried in vain, if not to break, at least, to weaken the charm—you maintain your empire in spite of all my efforts—and after every new one, I make to withdraw myself from my allegiance my partial heart still returns and clings to you with increased attachment. To drop figure my lovely girl you become dearer to me every moment._

  
  


She’d been the only one he could say without metaphor his love, and he’d used it as best as he could to craft his love for her.

 

Had there ever been a sign? A sign that Eliza didn’t understand? That she wasn’t okay or happy?

 

He couldn’t find one. At least not enough for this.

 

“‘His real crime is nothing but _my_ amorous connection with his wife for a considerable time’,” he quoted, looking his wife straight in her eyes. “You published the letters she wrote you… in your attempt to clear my name, you ruined our lives, Betsey!

 

“...Do you know what _Jefferson said_ , when he tossed this to me?!” Alexander asked, showing her the pamphlet in his hand. “He said ‘You’re _never_ gonna be president, now,’ and he said to thank you. ‘Thanks to your wife, the South has won!’”

 

Claiming that Maria Reynolds’ words left her defenseless.

 

Her words, stupid and _senseless_ and paranoid and…

 

“You did not do this for my benefit,” Alexander said. “And I no longer want my love for you in my legacy, whatever of it will be left, now.”

 

And, without even a moment of hesitation, he emptied the box into the fire.

 

The world had no right to his heart, no place in his loves. He refused to be the secondary story to what his wife had now created.

 

His legacy would not be love letters to a woman who had betrayed him.

 

Eliza moved towards him, but he refused to meet her gaze.

 

“If you have need of me,” he said formally, “I will be in my office…”

 

“Alexande-”

 

“I cannot sleep in the same bed as you,” Alexander said angrily. “Tomorrow, if you would, move to the spare bed where you slept with your _mistress_.”

 

Now all they had were memories.

 

He hoped that she burned.

**Author's Note:**

> Notable line from burn // alexander:
> 
> do you know what jefferson said,  
> when he read what you'd done?  
> he said, 'you'll never be President now,  
> thanks to your wife, the South has won,'
> 
> But what’s funny/sad is that modern-day lesbians and gay people will Stan marliza as True Love and hate on Alexander (unfairly) and James Reynolds (fairly) SO MUCH, or they’ll erase the wonderfully BI Alexander Hamilton from being such. What they won’t want to think about because NOBODY likes to hear about it is that Alexander must have been HEARTBROKEN.
> 
> Find me on tumblr [@flaim-ita](https://flaim-ita.tumblr.com/)


End file.
